Anti-litter group to meet, consider targeting drivers

The area anti-litter committee will consider a plan to target motorists who throw trash out of their cars.

The committee will convene at 3:30 p.m. today at the Osage Community Centre. This is the first meeting of the committee of officials and civic leaders from Cape Girardeau, Scott City, Jackson, Cape Girardeau County governments and the Missouri Department of Transportation in several months.

A group of area law enforcement officers suggested establishing a hot line where people could report littering incidents and license-plate numbers. Police then would identify the owners of those vehicles and send them a form letter.

The letter would indicate a complaint had been made and encourage the individual to stop littering.

Cape Girardeau police chief Carl Kinnison said it's up to the whole committee to decide whether to implement the litter warning campaign.

Cape Girardeau city spokeswoman Tracey Glenn, who chairs the committee, said the group also may look at reorganizing to better pursue long-term anti-litter efforts.